The Cameron Crazies already saw the 2024-25 Duke basketball team at the Countdown to Craziness two weeks ago, but the Blue Devils welcomed another program to Durham for the first time on Saturday afternoon.
The Lincoln Lions hired new head coach Julius Hodge (whom Duke basketball fans might recognize from those NC State teams in the early 2000s) just a few months ago, and they were no match for a Blue Devils team among the early national championship favorites. Head coach Jon Scheyer and his team pulled away before the end of the first half, winning 107-56.
While the talent mismatch means there’s still plenty to prove for Scheyer and his players over the coming months, any film on the Duke basketball team is film worth breaking down. From situational execution to the first looks at a talented freshman class, here are our five biggest thoughts after Saturday’s exhibition game.
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The best freshman in the country looked like a generational prospect against Lincoln. He blocked two shots in the first three minutes, including a rejection off the backboard reminiscent of that famous LeBron James play from the 2016 NBA Finals. He finished with 22 points, including a dunk that shook the walls of Cameron Indoor Stadium in the second half, and added six assists to show off an additional wrinkle to his game. He looks capable and confident away from the paint, and if his perimeter offense from the past two performances is here to stay, look out.
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Flagg gets all the headlines, but Scheyer didn’t merely bring one five-star freshman to Durham this offseason. Khaman Maluach, the 7-foot-2 center from South Sudan, pulled down 11 rebounds and blocked multiple shots. Kon Knueppel finished with 17 points, and Isaiah Evans put nine points on the board in quick succession late in the second half. The 2024 recruiting class got lots of attention this offseason, but Duke looks like a team with four five-star freshmen.
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Speaking of Knueppel, he made five 3-pointers in the first half on Saturday. It wasn’t just his production from behind the arc that impressed, either, it was how decisive he looked. If he got the ball with an inch of space, his release was fast enough to get the shot off before the window closed. He’s confident enough to fire with any amount of room and from any spot on the court, especially from the corners.
On a team with Purdue transfer Mason Gillis and sophomore returner Caleb Foster, both of whom made more than 40% of their 3-point looks last year, Knueppel looked like the most productive option from distance.
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A lot of the offseason conversations about Tyrese Proctor (including ours) revolved around his ability to set teammates up for a basket. He led the Blue Devils with 3.7 assists per game last year despite only playing for 30 minutes a night.
On Saturday, however, the Australian junior reminded Duke basketball fans that his playmaking extends beyond his ability to facilitate. Proctor finished with 19 points on just seven attempts from the floor, a worthy reminder that he’s one of the most talented players on the roster. He averaged more than 10 points per game in 2023-24, and that number will probably improve this season.
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Lincoln only scoring 56 points is not simply a product of the talent mismatch. Scheyer talked all offseason about how competitive this year’s Duke team is and how much pride guys like Flagg take in their defense, and that showed up in a big way on Saturday. Even with the game well out of reach in the second half, the Blue Devils never gave the Lions any space for open looks, hustling to work around screens and sticking to their assignments without fail. They ended up with six blocks and 12 steals for the game.
Between the height and speed on the roster, any team in the country would have a hard time drawing open 3-pointers against Duke. And if an opponent makes it to the paint, well, Flagg and Maluach are ready and waiting to block any floaters and layups within their wingspan.
